NEWS
Jack White has spoken out against the U.S. Treasury Department’s reported plan to add President Donald Trump’s signature to all newly printed U.S. paper money. The musician described the idea as unnecessary self promotion, especially at a time when many Americans are dealing with serious financial hardship.
In a detailed Instagram post shared on Friday (March 27), White reacted sarcastically to the news. “Oh how humble!” he wrote. “But why stop there donnie? Why don’t you use your small hands to sign into law that your oh so stern orange face appears on the front of the hundred dollar bill as well?”
Historically, U.S. banknotes have only included the signatures of the Treasury Secretary and the Treasurer. Trump’s name being added would represent the first instance of a current president having their signature printed on circulating paper currency.
White linked the decision to the financial challenges many citizens are currently facing. He specifically mentioned rising fuel costs, which he connected to Trump’s military actions involving Iran that began on Feb. 28.
“TSA agents are selling plasma to pay rent while he takes the day off, cheats at golf, and bombs other countries for fun,” he wrote. “Gas prices are surging as a worldwide crisis that HE caused rages in the Middle East; it’s the perfect time to joke on fox ‘news’, visit Graceland, and sign into law to have your bloated, cocky signature on all U.S. currency!”
White also criticized what he sees as a lack of accountability from Congress. He described Trump as “a manipulative, loophole finding, egomaniacal, conman” and suggested that too much authority had been allowed without proper oversight. He also questioned whether rules surrounding Trump’s business related products such as branded Bibles, sneakers, and collector coins were being properly enforced.
“I’m sure Congress is regulating all that though and not just letting him break the law and profit from his office,” he wrote sarcastically. “We’re in good hands.”
White ended his post with a controversial suggestion, while also noting the legal risks, that people could consider crossing out Trump’s signature on new bills, using the hashtag #redactedbanknotes.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if someone started a campaign to black magic marker line out his name every time you receive a new banknote?” he wrote. “I think that’s against the law to deface U.S. currency, so I would never suggest that becoming a nationwide campaign…but is everyone allowed to break the law when they feel like it or just donnie?”
This is not the first occasion White has publicly criticized the Trump administration recently. Earlier this year he also reacted to the president’s decision to declare war on Iran, posting on social media: “Behold the leader of the ‘Board of Peace.’”
White remains one of the most respected figures in modern rock music. As one half of The White Stripes, he played a major role in shaping the early 2000s garage rock movement. The band’s hit “Seven Nation Army” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and earned the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. Albums such as Elephant (2003) and Icky Thump (2007) both entered the top 10 of the Billboard 200. His first solo record Blunderbuss (2012) also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. In 2025, he was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The White Stripes.
Lamb of God and Trivium are set to return to Australia this October for a massive five date co headlining arena tour presented by Destroy All Lines. Joining them on every stop will be Scottish metalcore band Bleed From Within as special guests.
The tour kicks off at Perth HPC on Oct. 2 before heading to AEC Theatre in Adelaide on Oct. 4, John Cain Arena in Melbourne on Oct. 6, Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on Oct. 9, and Riverstage in Brisbane on Oct. 11. Artist early bird presale tickets become available Friday, May 15 at 9 a.m. local time. Additional presales begin Tuesday, May 19 through Destroy All Lines, venue partners, and My Ticketek, while Spotify’s early bird presale launches Wednesday, May 20. General public tickets will be available Thursday, May 21 at 9 a.m. local through destroyalllines.com.
For Lamb of God, this upcoming run will be their first proper Australian headline tour in almost ten years. The Richmond, Virginia metal giants, who have received five Grammy nominations throughout their career, most recently appeared in Australia during Knotfest Australia in 2024.
Since forming in the mid 1990s, the group have cemented themselves as one of the defining names in heavy metal. Tracks like “Laid to Rest,” “Redneck,” “Walk With Me in Hell,” and “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” continue to stand as fan favorites and staples within the genre. Earlier this year, the band released their newest studio album, Into Oblivion.
Trivium, who came together in Orlando, Florida in 1999, have built a reputation over the years as one of modern metal’s most dynamic and technically skilled live bands. Their music blends elements of thrash, progressive, melodic death, and groove metal, while their 2017 track “Betrayer” earned the band a Grammy nomination.
The group has also achieved several top 20 entries on the Billboard 200 along with multiple chart topping releases on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart. Trivium last visited Australia in 2023 for the first ever Knotfest Australia, where their Brisbane sideshow received strong praise from fans and critics alike. Their most recent project is the 2024 EP Struck Dead, which followed their 2021 album In the Court of the Dragon.
Bleed From Within will open the tour after recently celebrating two decades as a band. The Glasgow metalcore act released their seventh studio album Zenith in 2025 and have previously toured alongside major names including Slipknot, Bullet for My Valentine, and Megadeth throughout their career.
